Headlice and frontline

Re: Headlice and frontline

SteveOwen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:20:51 GMT

Have you seen how much Malaseb is?!

Re: Headlice and frontline

Bob Russell — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:17:42 GMT

Have you seen how much human shampoos are that contain ketoconizole for dandruff?

Re: Headlice and frontline

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:55:46 GMT

[quote user="SteveOwen"]

Dandruff isn't caused by Malassezia - that's an out of date view. OK, it can be involved, much like Malassezia can proliferate with keratoseborrhoeic disorders in dogs.

Strange that you would imply that it should be used, when you make your staff wear gloves and a mask to apply Frontline!! I forget that frontline is a POM-V too so it is also not good to apply to children, but at least it makes sense - it would kill human head lice. I wouldn't do it though due to the legalities.

[/quote]

I don't take offence Steve, I very much believe that if you can't take it don't dish it and I dish it big time. I bow to your greater knowledge on the pathogenesis of dandruff but I maintain that I didn't actually suggest using Malaseb merely that it should be effective in the same context that Frontline should control human head lice. However there is a difference between shampooing with Malaseb and inhaling the aerosol from Frontline or getting Stronghold or Advocate on your skin when it is absorbed percutaneously.

Re: Headlice and frontline

bob lehner — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:29:36 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]It was banned for a very good reason, it is toxic and harmful to the environment. It gave me a headache just looking at the can[/quote]

Very true. I knew of I colleague who tended to use it as an air-freshener in a smelly consulting room, as it had a lovely citrus smell. Hate to think how much of it we all absorbed - fortunately we now recognize just how dangerous OPs were in sheep dips etc. and used very casually in the past.

Would also agree with your sentiments on Frontline spray etc - it worries me when I see nurses repeatedly treating clients pets and breathing in the stuff.

Re: Headlice and frontline

SteveOwen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:54:09 GMT

Nothing personal Martin. Annoys me when people throw Malaseb around like its a bag of sweeties. Dandruff isn't caused by Malassezia - that's an out of date view. OK, it can be involved, much like Malassezia can proliferate with keratoseborrhoeic disorders in dogs. Malaseb would perhaps treat the Malassezia if it was there, but it wouldn't treat the primary problem. Seleen would have worked because it has a cytostatic effect, though if Malassezia was present it would've controlled that too. There are lots of other more appropriate products which can be bought over the counter which would treat the dandruff, i.e. those with keratolytic/keratoplastic ingredients. So why use a POM-V product!? As I say, not appropriate and not legal. Strange that you would imply that it should be used, when you make your staff wear gloves and a mask to apply Frontline!! I forget that frontline is a POM-V too so it is also not good to apply to children, but at least it makes sense - it would kill human head lice. I wouldn't do it though due to the legalities.

Re: Headlice and frontline

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:32:20 GMT

[quote user="SteveOwen"]Malaseb is a pomv licensed for seborrhoea with either Malassezia or staph infection in dogs. I can't see why on earth you would use it for dandruff in a child. Completely inappropriate and highly illegal.

[/quote]

For someone who has a bee in his bonnet about perceived slights (cf car mechanic thread) Steve, you seem remarkably quick to jump down other peoples throats (well mine actually), regarding the Calmex thread and now this. I can't see why you should have a go at me over Malaseb and not the others for advocating Frontline, epecially as I did not suggest using it for treating anyone, let alone my children for dandruff (read my post again), merely that as dandruff is caused by Malassezia it my well be efficacious. If you're pursuing a one man crusade against me perhaps you could enlighten me as to why.

Re: Headlice and frontline

Bob Russell — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:20:35 GMT

[quote user="Robert Whiteford"]

[quote user="Julian Earl"]Good old Nuvan Top [/quote]

Sad day when this was banned - great theatre when you could spray a patient, who's owner swore blind they had never seen a flea on their pet, and the white paper, for demonstration purposes, turned out covered in dying fleas after a quick spray of NUVAN TOP!!

[/quote]

One star is a bit harsh. It was a good party trick! Not good for the cat and definitely not healthy for the vet but very convincing proof to the owners that they are twits to think their cat is immune to having fleas!

Re: Headlice and frontline

Mark Holmes — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:22:05 GMT

[quote user="Melanie Solomons"]

Read an article in the New York Times where they mentioned French doctors using ivermectin tablets in children that had repeated head lice infestations...

Wouldn't it be great if you could just use that monthly to cover worms and head lice?

[/quote]

They use ivermectin in Africa for that very purpose, incidentally it has the best safety profile in medicine which is why I use it to worm/delouse my chickens. I figure the egg withdrawal then more of a technicality than a practial problem.

Re: Headlice and frontline

SteveOwen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:21:58 GMT

Malaseb is a pomv licensed for seborrhoea with either Malassezia or staph infection in dogs. I can't see why on earth you would use it for dandruff in a child. Completely inappropriate and highly illegal.

Re: Headlice and frontline

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:09:12 GMT

Legal point A veterinary surgeon was once disciplined (not so ong ago ) for providing NSAIDs for his wife The doctor had prescribed them todeal with chronic pain following a RTI The doctor knew the veterinary surgeon was getting them from his wholesaler, and he wasn'teven saving money-the drug was more expensive than a prescription charge-just less hassle

Wynne

Re: Headlice and frontline

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:17:28 GMT

[quote user="Robert Whiteford"]

[/quote]

It was banned for a very good reason, it is toxic and harmful to the environment. It gave me a headache just looking at the can. Ditto Frontline I will not, nor will I let my staff spray animals in the clinic without a mask and gloves and holding their breath in a room with an extractor fan which is going to be evacuated immediately afterwards plus we have a general policy of refusing to apply parasiticides to client's pets except in exceptional circumstances. People have been incapacitated by occupational exposure to organo-phosphates, they were considered safe once, who is to say that in 20 year times someone won't say - 'whoops Fipronil or selamectin wasn't that safe after all'. So I would not use it on my children's heads for sure, but just to prove I'm not totally anally retentive, I used Telmin KH for dose of a threadworm picked up from the children from school (Mrs A refused and bought some medendazole tablets from the chemist which cost 5x as much) and Seleen was the best anti-dandruff shampoo ever although I wouldn't use it now, I'm sure Malaseb would be much better.

Re: Headlice and frontline

Melanie Solomons — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:57:14 GMT

Read an article in the New York Times where they mentioned French doctors using ivermectin tablets in children that had repeated head lice infestations...

Wouldn't it be great if you could just use that monthly to cover worms and head lice?

Re: Headlice and frontline

Robert Whiteford — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:58:42 GMT

[quote user="Julian Earl"]Good old Nuvan Top [/quote]

Re: Headlice and frontline

Judith Joyce — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:52:23 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Also wish I could find out who is the reservoir at school......[/quote]

Look for the kid that smells of tea tree oil!!

Re: Headlice and frontline

Julian Earl — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:48:27 GMT

Good old Nuvan Top used to work extremely well on those little mites that come off wild birds and pheasants and the like.

Re: Headlice and frontline

plantagenet — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 08:58:08 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Also wish I could find out who is the reservoir at school........![/quote]

In my experience usually Dr's children!

Re: Headlice and frontline

Dagmar Steele — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:17:51 GMT

In a thirteen year old girl I would keep that very quiet, too! Frontline is the recommended treatment by many German Vetmums I know, all of them reported instant death of all lice and no side effects. Didn't need the frontline so far, but had to get the wormers into the whole family twice :-( Looking at some of the schools toilets it's no wonder whatsoever...

Re: Headlice and frontline

Gillian Mostyn — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:12:21 GMT

[quote user="Julie Innes"]They have had worms, though!! Pharmacist looked at me very oddly when I asked how often I should routinely worm my children. NHS website says that 40% of all pre-scool children have worms at any given time- would it not make sense to routinely worm them?[/quote]

Have wondered that myself. I treated my children - AGAIN - this week after finding the little critters. Also wish I could find out who is the reservoir at school........! My nurse routinely treats her kiddie every month - might start doing it myself.

Re: Headlice and frontline

Rob Davis — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 16:29:38 GMT

Many thanks for the replies, looks like I'll be taking some frontline home tonight.... My 13 year old daughter has insisted that revealing that she has headlice would be "social suicide", so a rapid resolution would be appreciated!

Re: Headlice and frontline

Julie Innes — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:40:23 GMT

Great thread- I have often thought about this (although, touch wood, my kids haven't had the dreaded headlice yet)

They have had worms, though!! Pharmacist looked at me very oddly when I asked how often I should routinely worm my children. NHS website says that 40% of all pre-scool children have worms at any given time- would it not make sense to routinely worm them?

Re: Headlice and frontline

Joyce Whitehead — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:22:35 GMT

I've used Frontline too - went on hols to parent's house to discover quite a few head lice - cue rather distraught granny! Fortunately had some spot on with us which I was going to use on the dogs in case of ticks, so I split a small dog pipette between two primary age children (from recollection around 8 and 10 years old). Combed it in well, and everything dead by the morning, all washed out 36 hours later.

I too figured that if puppies and kittens could cope, so could my children. One of them is now 6ft4" tall (and also a black belt) - was it the frontline?....

Re: Headlice and frontline

Mark Hedberg — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:51:43 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]

[quote user="Alan Tevendale"]

Two bricks comes to mind.....

[/quote]

That method is quite painless, unless you catch your thumbs....sorry, couldn't resist

[/quote]

Finally! Another vet that knows this joke! :)

Re: Headlice and frontline

Tanya Fielding — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:41:12 GMT

I have used frontline on my kids twice now works wonderfully did myself and husband as precaution I use a spray figured if it was safe for a 2 week old pup it was ok form my strapping healthy kids. have also used it on their friends and my mother( not pleased when the kids gave her nits) just wish I could find the kid in their class who keeps reinfesting the school. Only problem is their is no scruff to grab as a restraint meathod and youngets child liked having some extra pets!

Re: Headlice and frontline

Stephen Courtney — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:03:01 GMT

[quote user="Alan Tevendale"]

Two bricks comes to mind.....

[/quote]

That method is quite painless, unless you catch your thumbs....sorry, couldn't resist

Re: Headlice and frontline

Alan Tevendale — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 12:36:16 GMT

Two bricks comes to mind.....